


Thrift Shop

by GhostGarrison



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Crossdressing Kink, Dating, Domestic, Dressing Room Montage, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Men in Dresses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 12:34:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10899453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostGarrison/pseuds/GhostGarrison
Summary: As two broke college students, Karl and Anders sometimes have to get creative with their dates. Thanks to two girls in Karl's writing class, they find themselves on a "thrift date." They have an ugly-clothes fashion show, which is all fun and games until Anders tries on a dress.





	Thrift Shop

It’s not a normal date—no, certainly not. Normal dates are to dinner, to see a movie, something along those lines. But Karl and Anders are both flat-broke college students, so they don’t have much choice when it comes to cheap fun things to do on the weekends. 

But who needs normal? Usually what they do is just as fun, if not more.

Karl first overheard the idea in his Thursday morning WRIT201 class. During peer editing time, two nearby girls were discussing the best free dates that are more fun that just going to the park. A few of the ideas Karl and Anders have already done—free museum events, visiting the pet shelter, geocaching, a self-guided walking tour through the city…

It isn’t until they mention something new that Karl’s interest is piqued.

“Yeah,” one of them says as he tunes into their conversation. “You go to a thrift store together.”

“That sounds a little strange,” the other says. “What can you even do there?”

“Have you never been to one? They’re so much fun. You can try on stuff, ugly sweaters and ancient prom dresses. Or, you know, you might stumble on something half decent and then you can add something new to your closet. Though some of the things you find there are just out of this world.”

“I suppose that could be fun,” the other girl responds, not sounding as convinced as Karl is.

It’s this conversation that brings both Anders and Karl to the thrift store that’s a two-mile walk from campus.

“I’m sorry, but what are we doing here?” Anders asks, eyeing the store’s sign. “I’m good on clothes right now…”

“We’re on a thrift date,” Karl says, continuing to explain where he heard the idea in the first place when Anders only looks at him dubiously. Anders laughs at the concept, but ultimately agrees to the silly idea. “We can always go to that one pet store afterward, if this proves to be boring.”

Anders frowns. “Those puppies and kittens are from mills.”

“So you always say,” Karl says, pushing the door open. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t like looking at them.”

“You know me too well,” Anders says smiling, nodding in thanks to Karl for holding the door.

The thrift shop is occupied by a handful of people rummaging through the racks and shelves for usable things. They wander toward the men’s section, arriving at the racks labeled ‘ _Men’s Collared Shirts — 2.99_ ’

“Most of these shirts look exactly like what Professor Irving wears,” Anders says after a minute of paging through the hangers of shirts.

“Maybe this is where he shops.”

“Or maybe these are the shirts he wore in during his century of teaching.”

“It very well could be,” Karl laughs, returning his attention to going through the nearby rack. Anders moves on too, looking through the next rack of shirts. Something catches Karl’s eyes, and he immediately pulls it out. “Look at this one!”

A thin cotton vest hangs from the arms of the hanger, the printed fabric depicting more than a dozen cats staring at anyone looking at it. Karl reaches out toward his boyfriend, holding it up to Anders’ chest.

Anders looks down at it, eyes widening at what he sees. “This is absolutely _GHASTLY…_ I need it.”

“Well?” Karl begins, pushing the garment into his boyfriend’s arms. “Go try it on!”

The suggestion makes Anders pause, and there’s a lively spark in his eyes that Karl recognizes as Anders getting an idea. An incredible idea. Quite possibly the same idea that struck Karl just now.

“Meet you at the dressing rooms in five minutes?” Anders asks, already dashing toward the next aisle. 

Karl nods, grinning as the date is turning out to be a success already. “The _worst_ things you can find!”

Five minutes later, they find each other in front of the dressing rooms lining the corner of the store. They slide into neighboring booths, giggling as they unload their finds and immediately start changing.

Karl is pulling a cardigan on over his shirt when he hears Anders talk from over the divider, his grin unmistakable in his voice. “Oh, this is _awful_.”

“Let me see,” Karl replies, unlatching his door and stepping out.

Anders emerges from his booth, wearing a button-down shirt that is half denim, half colorful Mabari print fabric. Karl laughs even harder as Anders does a full turn, showing off all angles of the mashed-up monstrosity.

“You’re quite the picture yourself!” Anders exclaims, pointing to Karl’s banana-print cardigan and plaid pants.

“I think the plaid makes my ass look great,” Karl says, twisting to show off his rear.

“Your ass is always great,” Anders replies. “Let’s see what’s next.”

+

The next change of clothes has Karl nearly in stitches when he sees his boyfriend come out of the booth wearing an enormous faux tiger fur coat. Clutching the coat closed against his chest, Anders preens the whole time, completely incapable to keep a straight face.

“That’s at least one tiger,” Karl says. “Maybe two.”

Once he takes a moment to look at Karl’s sweater vest and bowtie, Anders’ lips turn down in a pretend pout. “I thought the point was to find ugly things. You look like a hot professor, all you need is a pair of glasses.”

Karl sniffs, looking down at what he thought was a hideous outfit. “Well, I’m sorry I’m irresistible in argyle.”

“Psh, let’s see what else you found.”

“Don’t let the tiger eat you in there,” Karl says, waving toward the coat that’s big enough to be a small wild cat.

+

Karl’s next outfit is a neon fleece pullover that looks like it was plucked straight from the 80s via time machine. The colors are so bright, they’re nearly blinding even in the indoor fluorescent light. Karl actually likes the jacket and would consider buying it to lounge in, but he’d never admit it to anyone if he was asked.

Anders is wearing what looks like a sweater knit from yarn the colors of ‘military drab’ and ‘cat vomit.’ The sweater is obviously hand-knit—the neckline is loose and uneven, and one arm is much longer than the other, covering Anders’ hand and even extending past his fingertips.

“Who knit that? A third grader?”

“I’m sure they tried their best,” Anders responds, gently slapping Karl on the cheek with the tail of the long sleeve. “You think you could do better?”

Karl shakes his head. “Definitely not.”

+

The next thing Karl tries on is a sweater that is nearly too tight for his shoulders. It’s nearly an acrobatic stunt to pull it on, but he manages. With a lot of grunting, which Anders doesn’t let slide without poking fun at him from the next booth over. The front of the atrocious sweater is divided into quarters, each square representing a different holiday from each season.

“It’s like you’re trying to celebrate everything at once,” Anders says, looking him up and down.

“Or it’s one sweater for every occasion,” Karl replies. “Saves a lot of closet space.”

Anders is wearing quite possibly the puffiest shirt Karl has ever laid eyes on, with big flowing sleeves and ruffles cascading all the way down the front. It’s made from cheap gold satin that shimmers with every move he makes. Anders flips out the sides of a pair of sunglasses, sliding them onto his face. The lenses are pitch black, round, and _gigantic._

“I’m Orlesian,” is all Anders has to say before disappearing back into his dressing booth, laughing. Inside, he talks to Karl through the divider. “I only have one thing left.”

“Me too,” Karl says, despite having two left. He looks between his choices, ultimately deciding to go with the shirt with the crude hand-drawn depiction of a sloth climbing a skyscraper, waving a claw at airplanes like it was King Kong.

Anders doesn’t really need to see the nug pajamas…

When they both step out, what Karl sees takes his breath away.

Anders is in a _dress,_ but not just any usual dress. It’s a 50s swing dress, complete with thin halter straps and a full skirt. And he looks _incredible_. The delicate mint green looks good against his freckled skin, with black button accents and trim. It’s a little loose in the chest, of course, but the shape brings out the angles of his narrow shoulders and sharp collarbones. The waist is cinched just so, showing off Anders’ trim waist before it flares out. The skirt falls a little shorter than it would on a woman, but it immediately guides Karl’s eyes toward his long, lean legs.

Karl feels his mouth going dry and his cheeks heating up. He snaps himself out of his rude staring, casting a cautious glance toward his boyfriend’s face.

Anders is looking down at him with impossibly wide eyes, lips slightly parted as he stares at Karl for an uncomfortable stretch of time.

“Uhm,” Karl starts, not knowing what he should be saying at this point. What explanation could he even give?

But he doesn’t get the opportunity because Anders slams the door closed. ‘ _Fuck,_ ’ he thinks, nervously running a hand down his face and over his beard. He fucked up. He fucked up big time, didn’t he?

Moments later, Anders emerges fully-dressed in his own clothes. The kitten-vest and the green dress are back on their hangers, draped carefully over his arm. He breezes past Karl in the direction of the checkout counter, smiling over his shoulder.

“I’m buying these.”

**Author's Note:**

> lbr Anders would look incredible in literally anything he put on his body.
> 
> [The ever so lovely Drawsshits drew Anders wearing his dress.](http://storybookhawke.tumblr.com/post/160651028223/drawsshits-anders-in-a-mint-dress-for)
> 
> done for two prompts on tumblr
> 
> find me there @ storybookhawke


End file.
